The death of singer and actor Marianne Faithfull in January was a painful reminder that the original rock chicks are disappearing, like the dying notes of her hit As Tears Go By, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
Ganni dress, $545. Miu Miu loafers, $1580.Credit: Steven Chee
Jane Birkin, the height of cool chic and eponymous inspiration for the coveted Hermès handbag, died last year, following Françoise Hardy and Anita Pallenberg into the heavenly branch of fashion’s hall of fame. We can be grateful to them, along with surviving ’60s pin-ups such as Jane Asher and Pattie Boyd, that their swinging style – thigh-baring skirts, convent-school collars and delicate cottons – endures.
The dolly-bird essentials of airy broderie anglaise playsets, picnic ginghams and rumpled bloomers are riding high on the runway and high street, offering a nuanced alternative to summer’s ubiquitous loose linen shorts sets. Singer Sabrina Carpenter is on board, nodding and winking at audiences in sheer baby-doll dresses between bursts of her hit Espresso.
While the trend’s bows, ballet shoes and A-line silhouettes threaten to infantalise women, with the right rock-chick attitude you can escape the Lolita trap and make innocent chic your guilty pleasure.
The Marianne Faithfull approach
Before surrendering to corduroy, feather boas and velvet in the ’70s, Faithfull made headlines in the simplest of ’60s silhouettes. She loved miniskirts, and they loved her right back (along with Mick Jagger). By taking a less-is-more approach to make-up and trading suggestive high heels for simple slippers and flats, Faithfull always looked like a woman in control rather than a damsel in distress. Follow her lead with the bare minimum of foundation, a low-impact lipstick and a gentle eyeliner to stop your baby-doll from crawling into burlesque territory. A floppy fringe always helps.
Viktoria & Woods “Rosella” shirt, $450, and “Augustus” skirt, $260.Credit: Steven Chee
The Sandie Shaw approach
In the ’60s, Puppet on a String singer Shaw was famous for performing barefoot, but the spotlight should have been on her baby-doll dresses. Standouts from Shaw’s wardrobe were short gingham dresses with a collar. Without a collar, these outfits could be reserved for the nursery; with one, you could safely sit at the grown-ups’ table. The Peter Pan collar might not mean business, but it does give shifts and shirts context and signals that playtime is over.
Celine by Hedi Slimane dress, $3750.Credit: Steven Chee
The Françoise Hardy approach
The French singer’s hits Tous les Garçons et les Filles and Le Temps de l’Amour (both 1962), are unfamiliar to most Australian ears, but her restrained fashion sense still rings quite a few bells on the hems of peasant blouses. Hardy understood restraint, letting the delicate appeal of short-sleeved shirts with matching skirts stand out. If the outfits featured a bold check print, graphic or textural element, Hardy held back on the accessories. Unsurprisingly from an early muse of Yves Saint Laurent, she preferred monochrome moments. And while she loved a knee-high boot, we suggest you stick to loafers for warmer seasons or try dressing the look down with sneakers and ankle socks to add female athleticism to the flirty aesthetic.
Miu Miu blue shirt, $2650, white shirt (worn beneath), $2370, briefs, $1370, and loafers, $1580.Credit: Steven Chee
The Jane Birkin approach
The singer and actor might have inspired expensive handbags, but she is more famous with fashion devotees for loyally carrying a woven basket. Follow Birkin’s commitment to understated accessories by keeping handbags airy and light; they should be suitable for carrying sheet music or a bunch of grapes, not a laptop.
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